Rainstorm
by J. J. Bean
Summary: Rahne hates the rain with a passion. She's afraid of thunder and the lightning makes her jump out of her skin - no wonder she can't sleep. In search of a companion to wait the storm out, she finds Roberto... slight Roberto/Rahne


Okay, I think this is my first fanfic where there is no mention of Bobby or Jubilee at all… wow. I don't know whether to feel accomplished or frightened. BUT I have more plot bunnies – and nearly all of them are Jubby/Bobilee!

It's not really fluff, more like fuzz, slightly rough around the edges, but cute enough. I am DEFINITELY more of a Sam/Rahne girl!

Anywho, sorry if Roberto seems a little OC, I've never written a story with him, and all I got from the episodes was that he's basically a perfectionist and overdoes things a bit. And he has a history of flirting with Rahne (or is it the other way around?), but that's a given if you've seen the episode 'Retreat'. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing other than my imagination and this plot bunny (where the characters are not even mine)!

* * *

Rainstorm

* * *

A flash of lightning and crack of thunder jolted Rahne from an uneasy sleep. Bolting upright, her eyes as wide as dinner plates, a steady growl rose in her throat. Rain poured venomously from the sky, hammering on the roof with a vengeance. Another streak of lightning lit the sky, and the following roll of thunder sent her whimpering beneath the bed.

How she hated the rain – she loathed it with a passion. The only good thing about it was the smell before it came and the scent of damp earth after it was over. Another clap of thunder shook the windowpane, and she curled up, covering her ears, her bottom lip quivering. She did _not_ like the thunder – definitely not.

After a third startling crack of sound, she rushed to the door. There had to be other people somewhere that were awake – she didn't think Amara would appreciate being woken up in the middle of the night, even though she shared her loathing of the rain. She slipped into the hallway, but as yet another bolt of lightning lit the hall, she jumped, a startled yelp escaping her lips, and crouched to the ground, now a very anxious wolf.

She slunk down the halls as fast as she could go, staying as low to the ground as possible, her ears folded back against her head. Freezing every time lightning struck, she howled a low moan to try and drown out the deafening thunder. She sped down the stairs and rushed into the common room – the one with the strongest smells. It smelled like sweat, air freshener, and basically everyone who'd ever entered the room, but the most prominent over the rain was hard to describe. It was like fresh cut grass and scented candles and toast… and aftershave*. It was one she'd become quite familiar with.

She crept towards the dark figure in the armchair, the growl still rumbling in her throat despite the other's presence. A crash of thunder ruined her stealthy approach, and she gave a shocked yelp – startling the other person – before bolting for the chair, stuffing herself under it. She would've been embarrassed in any other situation, but these were entirely different circumstances.

"Couldn't sleep, huh?" Roberto chuckled. Rahne merely whimpered. A flash of lightning illuminated his mildly amused expression, to be followed by a rumble of thunder. Rahne's high-pitched whine escalated into a small howl.

"And you don't like thunder either," he added. If she hadn't been a wolf and not so terrified at that moment, she would've responded with a "No, duh. What tipped you off?" As it was, she snorted and growled halfheartedly.

Roberto rolled his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips. Everyone had learned to interpret Rahne's wolf form of communication at some point, and he'd made it a point to understand it better and faster than anyone else, excepting Jamie, and that was only because she was always hanging out with him.

He got up and crouched in front of the chair as lightning lit the room, finally seeing Rahne as more than a shadow streaking under his chair.

"C'mon out," he coaxed. Rahne gave him a look that was the wolf equivalent of raising an eyebrow. "C'mon."

The wolf snorted, but crawled out grudgingly.

"There we go," he gave a satisfied smile. A boom of thunder shook the shelves, and Rahne jumped, her fur standing on end. She made a move to run, but Roberto grabbed her and pulled her back. On reflex, she twisted in his grip and snapped at him. Immediately afterwards, she backed away whimpering, her tail tucked, looking very dejected. Wolf for "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!"

"'S okay," Roberto said, still recovering from the sight of her glistening canines bared at him. "I should know better than to do that." He sat back, leaning against the chair.

Rahne ducked her head in a sort of shrug. "Erf," she mumbled, meaning, "It's not your fault."

A flash of lightning and its entourage sent her scurrying back to the safety that was found near Roberto. If she hadn't been a wolf, she would've been blushing the color of her fur, but her expression could loosely be translated to embarrassment or humiliation.

Roberto resisted the urge to smirk, instead scratching the fur around her ears. Rahne sighed contentedly, settling down next to him, placing her head on his knee. She flinched at a rumble of thunder, but controlled her outward displays of discomfort.

"I don't like the rain, either," he confessed. Rahne gave him a questioning look. "I'm a living solar panel. Anything that blocks the sun will not be on my list of favorite things," he elaborated.

Rahne bobbed her head in a sort of nod, but then sat up straight, regarding him with an air of question. She looked pointedly out the window, then back at him, tilting her head.

Roberto shrugged at her wordless question. "I have insomnia. Only, it's 'cuz I can get my energy from the sun. Sleeping's more like a habit than a necessity."

A look of comprehension passed across the russet wolf's features, before she resumed her original position.

"Though it does become a requirement if it's not particularly sunny that day," he added thoughtfully. Rahne sighed empathetically, feeling no need to comment any further. They sat like that for a while, Roberto absently stroking the soft fur between her ears. She was enjoying the comfort of the moment… until a bolt of lightning split the sky and the thunder roared.

She sat back up, snorting in slight annoyance. Roberto regarded her wordlessly as she seemed to battle with herself, a pout in place. Disgruntled, she huffed once again, then transformed back into a girl.

"I hate the rain," she muttered. "It erases all tracks n' makes it hard ta smell anything. An' it's cold."

"True enough," Roberto agreed.

They sat in companionable silence for a while, both of them trying to ignore Rahne's firm grip in his arm – a result of the thunder. Her blush was refusing to die down, and he was feeling… something at the close contact. He couldn't help but enjoy that fact that she found comfort in him, and not in someone else instead.

"Do ya ever get bored?" Rahne asked randomly, attempting to diverge from her train of thoughts, ideas that were sure to get her in several embarrassing situations if ever voiced aloud. "Or lonely?"

"Sometimes," Roberto answered after a moment. "There's not much to do 'round here at night, and people aren't usually up at this time." He smiled ruefully.

"Well, if y'ever need someone, ya can wake me up." It was a bold offer, with many implications but they both overlooked them and focused on the friendliness of the offer. Roberto made an effort to ignore the fact that she stayed in the girls' dorms _and _had a roommate.

"Thanks," Roberto said. _Focus, focus, it means nothing. No-thing. Focus._

Rahne could practically hear him thinking and mentally berated herself. _Just a friendly offer. No harm. Nothing implied. He's just Roberto, a _friend. "What d'ya do all night, anyways?" she asked, searching for another distraction, but there was genuine curiosity in her voice.

"Stuff," he shrugged. "Homework, usually, sometimes games or TV. Mostly just think, contemplate the day. Occasionally a book."

Rahne nodded, taking all this in. Roberto had a lot more going on that most people thought, she knew for sure. "That's a lotta thinkin'."

A chuckle escaped his lips, and she grinned. "Yeah, I guess it is. Never really thought about it."

"Thinkin' about thinkin'," Rahne said, drawing yet another laugh from him.

"Hey, the rain's starting to stop," he pointed out, and Rahne nodded, acting surprised. In truth, she'd noticed a while ago and was hoping he wouldn't, so she could stay a little longer.

"Yup." Roberto stood up, offering her his hand. She took it, rubbing her eyes to cover her disappointment. She stretched and yawned. "I should probably get some sleep 'fore th' mornin' comes."

After a moment's hesitation, she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks, 'Berto."

Before he could regain his senses to say anything in reply, Rahne was gone, up the stairs and in the safe confines of her room, her flaming cheeks the color of her hair.

Dumbstruck, Roberto slowly raised his hand and placed it against his cheek, smiling.

* * *

* Okay, honestly, I have no idea to describe what he smells like. I've never met him before. I'm just imagining this 'cause methinks he plays like soccer, and the candle bit is from the fact that he's basically a living solar panel, and I didn't really want to say something like burnt leaves or something. But I just had to put in the toast part. :P If you don't like it, make up your own combination.

Not bad, in my opinion. Sorry if it's not so great, I didn't get much feedback from my two editors, so maybe it's just not that great a story. I restate: definitely more of a Rahme girl (Question, shouldn't it be Raham? Or Sahne? I dunno, it just seems to me that they make more sense… but then, a lot of stuff is just me…)

Tell me if it's good, bad, if I need to post more often, more variety, or if I should just stick to Jubby… so REVIEW!

-JJB


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